Calf feeding device



K. `G. SCHOEFFEL CALF FEEDING DEVICE Nov. 25';l 1958- Filed oct. 14, 1957 Claims. priority, application Australia October 31, 1956 for providing special means onthe container or `forre- .moving the milk to another vessel, which canbe .quickly tionbeingadapted to beattachcd to :the ,upper endgo'f4 a of theupperend of eachv milk vsupplytubejbeing greater than the normal internal. diameterof: the .teat whereby firmly in their respective positions.

to utilizeexisting milk containersfor calf" feeding, 4and the device may be readilyr moyed' therefrom and. t rans terred tov a full container- ;-r,l tithe feeding-has been c :oirr-` "pleted, the device may be removed for cleaning.

CALF FEEDING DEVICE Kenton G. schoetel, Cotswold Farm, Menzies Creek, Victoria, Australia, tassignor to `Ellen Jean Schoetfel, Cotswold Farm, Menzies Creek,.Victoria, Australia Application Gctober 14,1957, Serial No.- 689,9 85 i 9 Claims. (CL 119-71) To the best of my knowledgeithas not hitherto been 20 found practicable .to provide a calf feeder. of thettype which can be used with existing'rnilkucans, buckets Iand other utensils, and. which .will allow ,th e. calf to milk eciently from` the container, without .the. necessity 2 assembled and disassembled, andiwhichwill continuefin `etlicient.operation throughout the feeding. l l"It san object ofthis invention vto provide a calf feederxwhich achieves the abovementioned result in a simpleandetfeetiyem, nner.

According to the present invention-I provide L a calf feeding `clevicecomprisinga funnel membenhavingaside wall and a lower annular portion, the lowerannulanpormilk containenan aperture in .the lowerannular portion which is adapted tocommunicate with the interioroft'he milk container, a seriesv of holes in .thei'sid'ewallof the funnel member, teats of resilient material the inner' ends of which et through tho ho1os in' taogoiooyou ofthe 40 `funnel member, anannular groove. i n.ea ch teat'which engages the periphery of the respective-hole :the v tunnel member, a peripheral integral rib on each teatoutwardly of the annular groove therein, .thehsaidribjbeing of greater diameterthan the respective hole'inthe and engaging the, outer surface, of the. s e wall ofthe nnel member funnel member around said hole, inillesupply'tubesof4 resilient material, the upper ends of whichf fit.within the .inner ends of theteats and communicate .withthe interior of said teats, the milk .supply, tubes being Qarrangedlo exltrld downwardly through the Iaperture in fthe ,flower annular portion :of the funnel rnerriber, theupperend ofv l each milk supply tube being arranged to extend hm thefrespective teatto a ..po int outwardly of 'thesidetyvall ofthe funnel member, andthenormaleriternal diameter the inner end of each teat andtheuppenend; of each'rriilk supply tube are under. compression and are ythusfhjeld it is found that substantially all vthe I nilk in they container 65 can `be drawn therefrom by the calves vyithput the I leed for modication of the container or transference 0f the milk therefrom :After tlreoutainerlres. been emptied,

14 is hold ,to position on the yconical foo be 2,861,545 Y PatentedtlleyfS, 1.9.58

`showing the constructionandmethod of attachment ,of a

Figure 4 is an enlarged ,tragmentaryigiew, ,partly in section, of the lower end of a tube, vshowing the non-return valve.

Referring to the drawings, thev device shown `therein comprises a cylindrical ringshapeddmember 10 of `sheet metal or like material, which is adapted tofit ywithin the neck 11 of a milk can 12,. Ihe .ringshapedmembenm is formed integrally with a tapered or conicaljmemberll which tapers upwardly arrd'crrtwardly trom .the .upper edge of the ring-shaped member 1 0, the conical member 13 bri11s thus. 0f a .larger.diarrreter 'at its. ,upprnd than at its lower end.

yThe allele Qt irrtlirrtttiorr.of the conical member 13 .is Preferably Sucll that .a tta'ttr1f-t,` extendinsatiright angles thereto as hereirrfter-desszribed', 'isfdispcsed' at .a contmaterial is arranged .tott .over the upper .endi of :the

conical member 13, and .theperiphery.Qtfthe coyerpor .lid 11.6 secured. t0. th periphery/,ofthe upper end .ofthe COHCl member. 13- Conveniently.; the upper. edge. ofthe conical member 13 is bent outwardly in a horizontaldirection `and the periphery v1 7 o f thelidpr cover 16,;is n turned downwardly .and inwardly AO rerrthe flange. lothus formedorl the Genital memberlan s .crrnped thereto.

A handle 16A` is iitted toJ the -.lid or lcjoyer 1 6.

A Sflfholes l? areidrlned' inthe conicalimember 13 at intervals there-around, each of gsaidfholes; 19 being adaptedlto receive va teat 14 o f rubber, plastic brother resilientmaterial. The vholes 19 are p r eferab1y'located at Y:points substantially equidistant b etyvee-n the upper and lower edges of the conical member 1 3.

Each teat 14 is of cylindricalfprmation Aand is' pro vided with a hemispherical outerend'intwhichListformed anrapert'ure 1S through which milk may How. The yvall ofthe teat y14 is of greater thickness atitsinnerpottion 2 1 than atvits outer portion 22, so that the outerJ portion 22 yis of greater exibility and has a ;1arger;,bore than therinner portion 2 1. The teat14' i s providedpat itsginner end with an integral disc;shaped.l lange: 20 whichis adapted to engage theinner surface o f the conicalmember'lS around the hole 19 thereinf An `annular..groove .or channel 23 is formed in the Vperiplierypfgtlgtenteat 14 vadjacent to the flange 20, the saidxgrooive 2 3 beirigpf suchsize vand shape 'thatit will' accommodate neatlythe peripheryof the hole 19A in the conical member 13 when.

the tea't 14 has beenffullyinsertey ougfhsaid o 1e so as to project outwardly .from the conical memlqerl-IVS. T heteat 41`4 is formed witha peripheral'rib`24 pacedat a short distance outwardly'fronifthe inn ria e 20 so as to form the groove 23 between" thei'ribh`2`4 andthe tange 20. The'outer surfaceof the ,ribhg4 .tapers ufrom the'groove 23 towards theout'eierid ofth f14 u n til itzmeets'the cylindricalbutersurface ofthe v .f "lfhe inner face ofthe rib 24is radial, andffthefwidth .ofthe groove 2 3 formedv on the teatf14l'isslightlypviderjthan the thickness'of the conical .rrieinberv '13;' so h can be accomplished quickly and easily. The provision of a groove or channel 23 in the teat 14, as above described, has the important advantage that not only is the teat 14 held in position without the need for anygspecial attachments, and said teat may be easily'removed from the hole 19 in the conical member 13 when lso de- 'sired, but -in addition the teat 14 is prevented from being pushed inwardly through the hole drinking therefrom. v

A tube 25 of rubber, plastic, or other resilient material is secured at its upper end to the inner end of each teat 14 and is arranged to pass downwardly through the ring-shaped member 10 and downwardly within the i tomi' of a normal milk container, which result has not 1l9-by the calf when j,

milk can 12`to a point adjacent to its bottom 28. A tube 25 is provided for each teat 14 and all of these tubes 25 dependdownwardly into the milk container in this manner. A non-return valve is provided at the lower end of each tube 25,' which may comprise a metal or other ball 27 resting on the upper end of a tubular member 26 which is fitted within the lower end of the tube 25. The nonreturn valve prevents the milk in the tube 25 from falling back into the container when the calf ceases to suck, and Vthus reduces the energy expended by the calf and prevents the sucking of air by the calf.

The upper end of each tube 25 is secured to the inner 'end ofits corresponding teat 14 by fitting the end of the tube 25 within the inner end of its corresponding teat S14 and, for this purpose, the diameter of the tube 25 is made'greater than the internal diameter or bore of the teat 14 at its inner end. Preferably, the normal external diameter of the tube 25 is 5 to 20% greater than the normal internal diameter of the teat 14. Due to the resilient nature of the teat 14 and of the tube 25, it is possible to lit the end of the tube 25 Within the inn'er end ofthe teat 14 without difficulty and to then insert the teat 14 through'the corresponding hole 19 in the conical member 13. Therelative diameters of the said hole 19 and ofthe Vteat 14 and tube 25 are such that when the Vteat 14 and tube 25 have been assembled in position in the hole 19 in' the conical member 13, the pressure exertedV by the periphery of the said hole 19 on the teat 14 serves to compress the teat 14 and also to compress the tube 25 within the bore in the teat 14 and thus pre- *vents the-teat from becoming dislodged from the hole 19 and the tube 25 from becoming dislodged from within the teat '14. Hence, even tho-ugh the tube 25 can be easily fitted within the-teat 14 when the teat is removed from the device, thetube 25 is firmly clamped in position in the teat 14 when the teatis in position on the device.

When it is desired to remove the teats 14 and the teat 14 is held firmly in the hole 19 and tubes 25 for cleaning or other purposes, it is merely necessary to push the teats 14 inwardly through the holes 19 in the conical member 13 until they are released therefrom, the rib 24 on the teat 14 being caused to flex so as to allow it to pass through the hole 19 in the conical member 13, and

the tubes 25 may then be disconnected from the teats 14 and the various parts of the device may be sterilized or otherwise treated. y f Y It will be understood that any desired number of teats 14 may be provided around the periphery of the device and that these may be inclined at any desired angle, but it has been found convenientto dispose the teats 14 so that they are inclined downwardly at an angle of approximately 30 from the horizontal. Preferably, the

- teat 14 is at right angles to the conical member 13 which is thus preferably at an angle of about 60 to the hori V'zontal.

A feature of the invention is that this device ensures an even and equal feed for all calves; either young calves or mature calves may be fed from the same unit and each receives approximately the same amount of feed.

It is found that a steady .milk ow is obtainedrby the ithe teats are disposed at intervals around said funnel `member and extend Vat an angle outwardly and downcombination of a sucking action and a syphoning action which enables milk tov be drawn by the calf from the bothitherto been achieved in a satisfactory manner. An advantage of the device is that it may be set up for feeding in a very short time.

What I claim is:

l. A calf feeding device comprising a funnel member having a side wall and a lower annular portion, said; lower annular portion being adapted to be attached tol the upper end of a milk container, an aperture in saidl lower annular portion which is adapted to communicate: with the interior of said milk container, a series of holesin said side wall, teats of resilient material the inner: ends of which fit through said holes, an annular groove: in each` teat which engages the periphery of one of said' holes, a peripheral integral rib on each teat outwardly of the annular groove therein, the said rib being of' greater diameter than the respective hole and engaging: the outer surface of said side wall around said hole, milk supply tubes of resilient material the upper endsA of which fit within the inner ends of said teats and com-v municate with the interior of said teats, said milk sup-- ply tubes being arranged to extend downwardly through' said aperture, the upper end of each of'said milk sup-- ply tubes being arranged to extend within the respective: teat to a point outwardly of said side wall, and the nor mal external diameter of the upper end of each of said. milk supply tubes being greater than the normal internali diameter of each of said teats whereby the inner end'. of each teat and the upper end of each milk supply tube` are under compression and are thus held firmly in their' respective positions.

2. A calf feeding device according to claim 1 wherein each teat is formed with a ange on its inner end which Vengages the inner surface of said side wall.

3. A calf feeding device according to claim 1 wherein wardly therefrom.

e 4. A calf feeding device according to claim 1 wherein the width of each annular groove in each teat is slightly greater'than the thickness of said side wall.

l tapers in the direction of the free end of the teat.

6. A calf feeding device according to claim l wherein the normal external diameter of each milk supply tube is 5 to 20% greater than the normal internal diameter of the inner end of each teat.

7. A calf feeding device according to claim 1 and having a non-return valve in the lower end of each milk supply tube.

8. A calf feeding device according to claim'l and having a non-return valve in the lower end of each milk supply tube, the non-return valve comprising a ball which normally rests on the upper end of a tubular member fitted within the lower end of the milk supply tube.

9. A calf feeding device comprising a funnel member having a side wall and a lower annular portion, said lower annular portion being shaped to fit within the neck Vof a milk container, an aperture in said lower annular portion which-is adapted to communicate with the interior of said milk container, a series of holes in said side wall and spaced at intervals therearound, teats of resilient material the inner ends of which fit through said holes, an annular flange on the inner end of each teat which engages the inner surface of said side wall, a peripheral rib on each teat which engages the outer surface of said side wall, an annular groove in each teat between said annular ange and said peripheral rib, the base of said annular groove being in contact with the periphery of the hole in said side wall, a series of milk supply tubes of resilient material the upper ends .Of which fitwithin the inner ends of said teats, said milk supply tubes being arranged to extend downwardly through said aperture, the upper end of each milk supply tube extending within the respective teat to a point outwardly of said side wall, and the normal external diameter of the upper end of each milk supply tube being 5% to 20% greater than the normal internal diameter of the inner end of said teats whereby the inner end of each teat and the upper end of each milk supply tube are under compression within the peripheral edge of said holes and are thus held rmly in their respective positions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Krumling Ian. 8, 1907 Moore May 27, 1913 Haberkorn Sept. 19, 1950 Coyner Jan. 22, 1952 Voigt et al. Aug. 2, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 9, 1886 

